Animal-trap.



VJ. H. SBRAGUB. ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIUATI d FILED JIULYIB, 1908.

964,024. Patented Nov. 1'?, 1908.

' A g /Q/Ldr 4L@ Witnesses JAMES H. SPRAGUE, OF PlCENClB, COLORADO.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application tiled July 1.8, 1908. Serial No. 444,231.

l'- it lv'nown that l` Janus ll. Semoun, a-ci izcn of the l`nitcd States. residing at Pict ance. in the count)Y ot' ltio Blanco and Stat e of tolorado, have invented certain new and useful lnnirovements in `ininml-'l`raps, of hich the 'following is a specitication, retere ice beingl had to the accompanying drawings. i i

"fly invention relates to improvements in an mal traps, and its object to` improve an l simplify the construction and operation ot devices of this character and thereby renda r them less expensive, stronger, more dura be and effective.

llvith the above and other objects in view. tie invention consists ot' the novel features t t' construction and the combination and ar-A iiangement of parts hereinafter fully decribed and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.y in which Figure l is a plan view ot my improved trap showing it set; Fig. is a vertieal longitudinal section talten on the plane indicated by the line WQ in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

My improved trap comprises a T-shaped body consisting of a straight longitudinal member l and a cross bar or member which latter'is secured transversely upon one end of the member l by a rivet 'or similar fastening 3. The ends ot' the cross bar are bent upwardly as shown at l and apertured to re eeive the pivots 5 ot two U-shaped jaws t3. Eafh of the latter is preferably constrncttal of a metal strap having its central portion curved and its upper or inner edge. notched to provide teeth and its substantial parallel arms united by the rivets or similar pivots 5 to the upturned ends or ears -lo'l' tho cross member 2. rl`he llaws (S are, actuated upwardly and inwardly or toward each other by the spring 7 which is in the torni ot' a broad strap or plate ot' resilient metal arranged above the cross member 2 and secured to the latter by the rivet or 'zistening El.. l`he outer ends of the spring 7 are4 curved up wardly and are formed willi openings H to receive the upturned cndsfi ot them-oss member' 2 and the end portions or arms ot the U-shaped jaws. the parallel side portions Si 'liorrned by the openings H being adapted to engage the outer or lower edges ol' the jaws Si' :is to actuatc thc latter to their closed po silion.

shaped so that they may be readily de,- pressed by the teet` to st raigbten the .spring` and allow 'the jaws to drop to their proper position when it is desired to set the t'ap' The outer end ot' the longitudinal member l notched or bifurcatcd and the two branches thus formed are bent up so as to form transversely aliniug bearing c ves- 11V tor the pivot pin l2 ot' the trigger lil. This trigger is of right angular shape and has a.

long arm ll which extends longitudinally upon the member-l yand has its end bent upwardly and baelnvardlyupon itself to providea bait` hook l5 which latter is disposed above the center ot the spring 7. '.lhe other arm lo ot' the trigger extends upwardly and has at. its upper end a lip or projection to engage the front ond of a`pivoted keeper tongue 17 adapted to extend' over the upper edge of one ot' the jaws ot' the trap 'to' retain the jaws in their open position. The tongue t7 has its inner end bent so as to provide an eye 1S t'or a transverse pivot 2t) arranged in two upwardly extending bearings lt) on the intern'icdiate portion of the longitudinal member l. The bearings 19 are preferably formed by the parallel arms'oi an inverted U-shaped plate ivhich has its closed portion secured to the ,cmher l by :1 rivet or the like as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The bearing arms e" projections 19 not, only serve as a bearing o; .support of the pivot or tongue 17, but also as a guide 'for the trigger lil, the arm ot' which latter eis tends between said bearing arms i9 as Shown.'

ln operation, when it is desired 'to set the trap, the outer ends It' ot the spring 7 are depressed to straighten tho sprine so that the jaws t will drop downwardlf into a horizontal plane. 'the tongue or keeper 17 is then swung over the adjacent jaw (l and the trigger is engaged with its front end. When an animal nibhles at. the bait upon the hoolt` the arm ll will be lifted andthe arm lo will be sprung upwardly so that its lip or shoulder will release the keeper 17 whereupon the, spring will aetuate bptll of the jaws upwardly and inwardly so that they will catch the animal between them.

From the foregoing it. will be seen that my improved trap i" simple in construction and theret'ore strong and durable and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. lt is also exceedingly convenient lo sell and is highly etliective in use.

The outer extremities l() o1 the spring are.

Having thus described my invention what I Claim is: l u

An animal trap cbmprising a straight longitudinal body member and oross'body mem- 'ber arranged upon one end -of the'longituclinal member and having its ends upturned,

the outer end of the longitudinal member being slit and bent to provide eyes, a pivot in the latter, a right angular trifrger upon seid pivot and havin-g :in inwardly extending longitudinal arm to receive the bait sind an upright arm `provided with a lip or shoulder, e transverse spring arranged abovethe cross member and formed adjacent t0 its ends with openings, a pair of U-shaped jews pivoted to the upwardly bent ends of tlie cross member and adapted to extend through the openings in saidspring, a U-shaped bearing plate bearing upon the intermedlate portion of the longltudinal member of ythe body and adapted to receive and guide the longitudinal arm of the trigger, and a keeper tongue pivoted in said bearing bracket and adapted to extend over one of the jews and to engage the lip or projection upon the upright arm of the trigger, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses:

JAMES H. SPRAGUE.

Witnesses:

WILL RoBNET'r, G. W. Prr'rMAN. 

